The Thrill Of It All II
A Montreuil Dilemma Pt. 2
New Orleans – Montreuil Estate -
"Mama why couldn't Naveen come with us again?" Daniel asked.
"Because he's a king and had other responsibilities baby. And we'll be back there soon enough!" she held onto the dog leash as Max barked.
"Do you think daddy will be surprised to see us from our trip?" asked the young boy.
Tiana didn't answer as they pulled up in front of the Montreuil Estate. She still didn't know why she was back here. A phonecall would've also worked.
The bell ran and soon came Dorothy who gasped when she saw the two. "Oh my god! Tiana!" she embraced her in a hug. "Why did y'all come back?"
Tiana smiled. "And I miss you too Dorothy."
Daniel and Max ran inside. "We're home!"
"No girl I meant why didn't you stay where you were? Where you and Danny could be safe!"
"Chile is that you?" Florence stepped into the foyer.
"Florence!" Daniel happily ran over to the maid. "I missed you so much!"
She chuckled. "I miss ya too, baby!"
"Where's Jacques?" Tiana asked.
"He's handling some meetings and should be home soon. I thought y'all be gone forever. What happened?" the maid asked.
"The letter from him and his lawyer happened," she answered.
Florence sighed, shaking her head. "He never listens. Just as I told him to not go out today."
"Anyway, I'll wait," Tiana headed toward the stairs.
"Are you sure ya wanna do that?" Dorothy asked.
"Girl get out of here and dust the library!" instructed Florence.
"I'm only tryna help!" Dorothy pointed out.
"You don't know their business!" Florence exclaimed. "Now I'm getting' another headache from ya. Go on and finish the library!"
The younger maid ignored the older woman. "I know her! Hell, I use to be her! Tiana take you, Danny and that dog out of here! At least you got money and tons of it!"
"That kind of talk can guarantee you gettin' fired," Florence glared her way.
Just then the door opened to Jacques' chauffeur who assisted a limping Jacques into the house.
"Daddy!" Daniel exclaimed happily.
Florence went over to the men. "Lord I told you to stay home!"
"I had to get this deal done," Jacques said and saw his son running over to him. "Now I know I should laying down. I'm hallucinating about my boy!"
"Daddy!" Daniel stopped to look at his father. "Are you okay?"
"Daniel?" Jacques tried to pick him up and let out a groan when he did.
Tiana didn't know if she could trust him and remained guarded.
"Mama and I came back to see you!" beamed the young Montreuil.
Jacques looked over at his estranged wife and smiled weakly. "What made you come back?"
"To talk about...," she stopped when he put their son back on the floor. "I'd like to talk...to you."
"I'm alright," he said to Florence and walked upstairs. "Let's go to my office."
Tiana and Daniel followed him upstairs while the maids watched.
"You think he's gonna tell her?" Dorothy asked.
Florence sighed. "He will."
()()()()
"You have no idea how thrilled I am to see my family back here at home," Jacques smiled, staring at Tiana. "You look beautiful darling."
"About the divorce papers...," She began.
"I didn't want a divorce, but then something happened and it woke me up. It made me realize that you are more important and that I should've made sure that your happiness was my life's goal."
Tiana saw how sincere he was but had to stay strong. "Jacques—
"I'm sick Tiana," he confessed.
"What?" she asked, grateful that Daniel was now in his room with the dog.
He took the medical sheets from his desk drawer and handed it to her. "I just learned the day after I send the divorce papers to you that I have up to six months to live." And gave her another envelope. "I was going to have this send out to you today but since you're here..."
Tiana took the closed envelope and ripped it open before reading it. She was shocked at what she saw. "You're leaving me everything?"
"I can't take it where I'm going," he said with a smirk. "And I can rest assure that you two will be alright when I'm dead."
Tiana shook her head. "I can't accept it."
"You're my wife and Daniel is my son. It's my job to keep you protected."
She gave him a look of disgust. "You're lying about all of this!"
Jacques sighed. "I knew you'd think that and I wish that I was darling. But I don't trust my other family with my money and Derek... I already left him one of my businesses." he stepped over to her. "Please accept the money. You can do whatever you like with it. Just as long as Daniel gets a good education out of it and you the life that you deserve."
Tiana's lips trembled as she tried holding back her tears. And hated herself for believing the business man. Her eyes then looked down at his left hand noticing it shaking uncontrollably and whatever doubts she had all flew out the window.
Jacques plopped down to his office chair, catching his breath.
"What do you have?" she asked, reading through the medical paper.
"They don't know. It had nothing to do with my gunshot wound so I say that its God's karma from all the times I've hurt you," he said regretfully.
Tiana shook her head, walking over t him. "No, God would never hurt or curse anyone. He only blesses."
His lips formed a small smile. "Then I suppose you and Daniel being here is His blessing?"
"Perhaps," Tiana set the papers down. "We'll be here for you."
"What about that royal?" asked the businessman.
"When are we going to tell Daniel?" she changed the subject.
He got up from his desk to face the window. "Soon and as much as he can understand from it."
Tiana placed her hands on her hips. "And here I thought we would be discussing custody arrangements."
"I would take being healthy and discussing that topic over telling our son that I could be dead as soon as an hour or tomorrow, a week...," Jacques said.
Tiana walked over to him. "Do you need to sit down?"
Jacques shook his head, finally letting go of his emotions. "No." And felt her hand on his. "I've been a terrible husband to you..." he looked back at her.
"You're also an excellent provider," Tiana said. "And no spouse is perfect."
Jacques stared down his wife and felt even guiltier. "I don't deserve you." he caressed her face.
Tiana closed her eyes and exhaled at the thought of her son without his father. Even though he will have Naveen in his life she was still concern how this will effect him mentally?
Jacques noticed her ring was still on her finger and carefully leaned his head forward to give her a kiss until she stopped him by placing her hands on his chest.
"I have to check on Daniel," she said before leaving the room.
"Tiana wait!" Jacques called for her and tripped over his own foot and fell onto the floor, hitting his head on the corner of the desk.
Tiana heard the impact and gasped when she saw her husband unconscious on the floor.
"Jacques!" She went down to check on him. "Jacques wake up please!"
He groaned and looked up at his now teary eyed wife. "Tiana?"
She sighed in relief. "We've got to get you in bed, okay?"
"What happened in here?" Florence asked and gasped with her hand on her chest. "Oh my lord! What did you do to him?"
"Florence...," Jacques raised his hand to stop her.
"Call Dr. Martin," Tiana told the maid. "Let's get to your room..." she helped him up.
()()()()
Maldonia:
"I don't believe this! You're going to stay there by his side?" Naveen asked Tiana on the phone.
"Naveen, I have to do this especially for Daniel," Tiana said.
"Or yourself!" he barked and listened on to her conversation with someone else.
"You know that...yes, Dr. Martin hold on...look Naveen I have to—
"Go. I know. Good bye." he slammed the phone down and tried getting back to looking over bills to veto or sign into laws but couldn't. He thought he heard her start to say that she loved him but his irritation from the situation caused him to cut the ending of the call short. He was so caught up in his own thoughts that he didn't even notice Nagina stepping into his study.
"Naveen?"
"Hmm?" he looked her way before grunting. "What is it now mother?"
"I'm checking on my big little boy. What is wrong with that?"
"Nothing," Naveen set his pen down.
"You young people and your war with love," she said knowingly with a humoured grin. "So Tiana left you for her husband again?"
"He's terminally ill," Naveen still wasn't convinced.
Nagina pitied for her son. "I'm sorry son, but perhaps it is for the best? She is still married to this man and belongs to him legally."
"But he doesn't deserve her," Naveen mumbled.
Nagina sighed. "That maybe true but who are you to say such a thing? Now if she were your wife then it wold make sense."
"I tried getting her out of a life of hell with that man. Her entire marriage to him is a scam!" he explained.
"Oh?" Nagina frowned. "How so?"
"Tiana didn't even want to marry him! Her parents gave him their approval simply for being very wealthy and she became his wife a month later at age fifteen!"
Nagina shrugged her shoulders. "Yet she stays because she is use to that life, or she could be afraid to go on without him, then there's her enjoying his company?" She watched her son with a concerned heart. "Naveen, a woman like Tiana must help herself before moving on into another relationship."
Naveen sighed.
"Son, I am very aware that she`'s in love with you but give her time. Especially if she's nursing a dying husband. Once that part of her life is over and she's healed I am certain that she will come back to you. And you know that she is always welcome here. As well as her son...who looks a lot like you and your uncle Nicholas at that age," she said before leaving the office.
Naveen put his face in his hands and grunted in frustration.
"You know that you can always call for me."
Naveen recognized the voice. "Why are you here Claudine?"
She placed her hands on his shoulders and began massaging them. "Because I know how much you need me right now."
"Leave," he jerked her hands off him.
"Oh you don't want that," Claudine changed her accent similar to Tiana's. "I can sound like her if you'd like. Remember?" she sat on his lap and began nibbling his earlobe.
"Claudine..." Naveen closed his eyes growing aroused.
"You once said that we look like twins. And I must say that Tiana is a very beautiful woman..." her hand eased in his trousers and cupped his erection. "You can moan her name while fucking me," she whispered.
"Ugh!" Naveen got up and threw her on the desk. "Damn you..." he opened her legs while unbuttoning his trousers.
()()()()
New Orleans -
"You'll be fine. Just a little bump but I recommend you stay in bed," ordered Dr. Martin.
"Oh come on Juan I'm fine!" Jacques said to the doctor.
"You can move about but when you get tired sit," he instructed and noticed his patient staring hard at Tiana, who was on the phone. "And try not to do too much 'you-know-what'!"
Jacques laughed a little. "That's almost as hard as not being able to walk."
"You can walk!" the doctor repeated. "But I know how you are with that girl!"
"I'll be dead in six months or less! I've got to enjoy it while I can!" he joked.
Dr. Martin shook his head and looked Tiana's way. "Excuse me, Mrs. Montreuil?"
"...Naveen, I have to do this especially for Daniel," Tiana said.
"Or yourself!" Naveen barked.
"You know that—
"Excuse, Mrs. Montreuil?"
She looked at the doctor. "Yes, Dr. Martin?"
He nodded his head towards the door before leaving the room.
"Hold on...Naveen? Look I have to—
"Go. I know!"
"I lo..." she stopped when she realized he hung up on her. She hang up the phone and followed the doctor. "What is it Dr. Martin?"
"Take care of him. He seems to be okay but his health can deteriorate anytime now. And once it happens..." Dr. Martin shook his head. "...patients with this complication can die right away."
"There isn't a name for this since its very new. I have spoken with other physicians who think that its in the genes but it can also be from anything. As I said its new with only a few thousand who suffer from this worldwide."
Tiana didn't know if she could trust the doctor.
And Dr. Martin saw her skeptical glance. "You don't believe me..."
"I don't know who to believe," Tiana said. "You are one of my husband's close friends."
"I know how difficult this must be for you. But that this is real. Jacques is dying and—
"Dammit Juan give me back my wife and stop your yapping!" Jacques said with a joking tone.
"She's all yours!" the doctor said with a smile.
"Thank you," Tiana said before returning to the room.
"I assume he gave you the lecture on how my illness is so new and incurable that it has no name?" Jacques asked.
"Yes, and no...not the incurable part at least," Tiana stared at him.
Jacques smiled. "What is it?"
"Nothing," she wondered about Naveen and hope that it wasn't the last time she'll speak with him.
Jacques could see that she was elsewhere and nodded. "I know you're thinking about that royal. He'll have you all to himself soon enough," he said bitterly
Tiana sighed at her obvious behavior. "I really don't want t talk to him."
"I say we do," he said.
"We should be talking to Daniel about your illness," Tiana didn't feel comfortable talking about Naveen with her husband.
Jacques sat up with no trouble. "We'll do that eventually. Carefully explain life and death to him. I'm not going to lie though. It hurts like hell that I will never see him grow up and have a family of his own. Or see our grandchildren. Or grow old together."
"Or you can be a miracle case and live your entire life," Tiana added.
"But where would that leave you and Naveen? If it'll take fifty years of nursing me to health then what?" he said half jokingly.
Tiana closed her eyes and sighed. "Let's go and have that talk with Daniel."
"Tiana I know that this is difficult to accept but I already have. And I honestly thought that you'd be in higher spirits knowing that I could be dead as soon as a day or week or a month from now," Jacques smirked.
"How can you joke about dying? Our son isn't going to grow up with his father! I can't imagine losing my parents and I'm a grown woman! You even shared with me how hard it was for you to not have neither of your parents around growing up and all you've been doing is joke..." Tiana inhaled, suppressing her tears.
Jacques could see that she was sincere and wrapped his arms around her for a hug. "I'm sorry darling. It seems as if all I've done is hurt you in this marriage."
Tiana stepped out of the hug tear-free. "We should get to Daniel..." and left the room.
()()()()
"So when people die they go to heaven?" the young boy asked.
"Right," both parents answered.
"Okay!" Daniel yawned, already forgetting the topic.
Tiana knew that he was still too young to understand the concept and watched the father and son together.
"Goodnight son," Jacques gave him a hug.
"Goodnight, daddy!"Daniel replied.
Tiana watched the two and actually felt heartbroken for Jacques who continued holding his son.
"You be a good man for your mother and for every woman you love," he said before letting the boy go.
"I know, I know daddy!" Daniel was already falling asleep.
Jacques smiled and left the room.
Tiana kissed her son's forehead and whispered, "Goodnight." then walked out the room soon after.
"He's an amazing child," Jacques said with pride.
"He is," Tiana agreed.
"It's too bad it took this damn illness to see that," Jacques admitted.
"At least you notice now," Tiana said blankly.
"I've noticed a lot," Jacques took her hand to his. "Darling..."
Tiana let go of his hand. "I should get some of my clothes and stay in the room across the hall."
"Or you can stay here in our room. We are still married," he reminded her.
"No," she shook her head.
"You'll be here for six month or less. All I'm asking is for you to stay with me. I'm not going try to sleep with you...ugh!" he leaned onto the nightstand after feeling a sharp pain in his abdomen.
Tiana rushed to his side. "Have a seat on the bed."
Jacques did as told and exhaled deeply. "Thank you."
Tiana made sure that he was breathing steadily before leaving him alone. "You alright until I come back?"
He nodded.
"I'll have Florence bring you up some water," she hurried out of the room and down the stairs to find Florence laying on the floor unconscious. "Florence?" she went to check on the woman and noticed that she wasn't breathing. "Florence!" she lifted her hand and felt no pulse on the woman's wrist. "Florence...wake up!" she checked neck for a pulse but didn't find any. Her eyes watered as she whispered, "No..."
()()()()